Truth Be Told

Election 2020 / December 12, 2024 Election 2024: The Ethical Dilemma of Billionaire Influencers

By Sydney Brown-Lewis Elon Musk and Donald Trump embrace after he makes a speech at Donald Trump rally in Pennslyvania Evan Vucci/AP By Sydney Brown- Lewis As celebrities and billionaires increase their public support for candidates, ethical questions arise about whether their influence pushes the boundaries of democracy. Recent actions by Elon Musk, including million-dollar...

Election 2020, Uncategorized / December 12, 2024 Election 2024: Local Candidates are the Foundation for Major Systemic Changes

By: Kennedi Bryant Crowd waves American flags at Election Watch Party on Howard University’s Yard (Photo Credit/Kennedi Bryant) Election season buzzes through every corner of Howard University’s campus on Nov. 5. Students who are first-time voters are filled with anticipation, to contribute to something bigger than themselves and make an impact. While many students envision...

Uncategorized / December 12, 2024 Election 2024: New Struggles of the Middle Class

By: Damenica Ellis Image Credit: Canva Todd Steven Burroughs, 56, is getting two free turkeys this holiday season, not for Thanksgiving or Christmas but to freeze for the coming months. This is the first time he is afraid he may not be able to afford his monthly groceries in the months to come. In past...

A&E, Music

TBTRadio – Podcast #1

Hey, everyone! Hope you enjoy Truth be Told’s first podcast. Today’s subjects range from the origins of our site, to the importance of black institutions, to Missy Elliot’s new single. Plus: is Spongebob SquarePants the last great American hero? Hosts Marc Rivers and Maya Cade discuss. (NOTE: This podcast was recorded before the…

Fact-Checks

Is D.C. Still the Chocolate City?

Washington, D.C., was one of the blackest cities in the United States during the 1970s. The population of African Americans peaked at 71.1 percent, and everyone from residents to radio personalities began calling it the “Chocolate City.” Parliament even released an album and single titled “Chocolate City” as a tribute to the nation’s capital…

Fact-Checks, News

Can Ben Carson Help GOP Attract Black Voters?

Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson launched a new radio campaign last week — featuring a Carson-inspired rap, meant to grow his appeal among African-American voters, according to his campaign. The $150,000 advertisement, interspersed with rhymes from rapper Aspiring Mogul and bits from Carson’s stump speech, will air for two weeks in eight urban markets. The…

Fact-Checks

Does Planned Parenthood Have a Strategic Plan for Black Genocide?

The Center for Medical Progress (CMP), an anti-abortion group, leaked deceptively edited videos earlier this summer that showcased Planned Parenthood employees speaking in offhand conversation about the selling of fetal tissue. The video series depicts months of conversation between undercover CMP employees and Planned Parenthood staff. The video series has in return added more fuel to…

A&E, Big Brotha, Music, Opinion

Black Violin Challenges Stereotypes in “Stereotypes”

Despite a rich history of classical black composers and musicians, black people are far from ubiquitous in classical music. And hip-hop, in which black people are ubiquitous, seems to operate in a world still separate from classical. Essayist and journalist David Samuels called Kanye West “the Mozart of American music” In a 2012 article in…

Opinion

Can You Spell That for Me Again?

Picking a name for a child is complicated. Parents should choose something that not only sounds right with the family surname, but they should also take future nicknames (good and awful) as well as job opportunities into consideration. Growing up with an unusual name is an experience like no other. ”How do you spell that?”…

News

Between the World and Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates returned to home to The Mecca, where he spent the day interacting with Howard University students — some of whom he praised for stumping him with insightful questions. The MacArthur “Genius” Grant recipient participated in master classes and an evening event that filled Cramton Auditorium, where he discussed everything from history and identity to…